It’s easy to dismiss persistent bloating as weight gain, attribute pelvic discomfort to your menstrual cycle, or even overlook chronic fatigue. These symptoms are vague and might seem too ordinary to warrant concern.
But it’s important to take them seriously. Symptoms like these could be signs of ovarian cancer, and prompt diagnosis and treatment is the best way to protect your health. Maria Scouros, MD, and our team at Houston Cancer Institute in Houston and Katy, Texas, provide advanced care for ovarian cancer, and here are seven possible warning signs you should never ignore.
Ovarian cancer usually doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Symptoms develop as cancer progresses, and can include:
You feel constantly bloated or your abdomen appears swollen and distended. This isn't the occasional bloating that comes and goes with your menstrual cycle or after certain meals. It's persistent, doesn't resolve, and may worsen over time.
You experience ongoing discomfort, pressure, or pain in your pelvic area or lower abdomen. The pain might be dull and constant or sharp and intermittent, but it persists beyond what you normally experience.
You notice a significant decrease in your appetite, or you feel full after eating only small amounts of food. This change in eating patterns occurs without intentional dieting and persists for weeks.
You suddenly develop frequent urination or urgent needs to urinate without any urinary tract infection (UTI). You feel like you need to go constantly, even when your bladder isn't full.
You lose weight without trying, or you gain weight rapidly in your abdominal area while the rest of your body remains the same or loses weight.
You experience persistent, overwhelming exhaustion that doesn't improve with rest and interferes with your normal daily activities. This goes beyond ordinary tiredness, and is best described as debilitating fatigue that seems disproportionate to your activity level.
You develop persistent constipation, diarrhea, or other changes in your bowel patterns that can't be explained by dietary changes or other obvious causes.
If you experience any of these symptoms persistently — meaning they occur nearly daily for more than a few weeks — you need to see your healthcare provider promptly.
The problem is that these warning signs are vague and common to many benign conditions. That means ovarian cancer often goes undetected until advanced stages. In fact, it’s often called a "silent killer" because symptoms typically don't appear until the disease has advanced to later stages when treatment becomes more challenging and survival rates drop significantly.
Early-stage ovarian cancer, when it's most treatable, rarely produces noticeable symptoms. The best way to detect precancerous and cancerous changes early is through routine gynecological care including regular pelvic exams.
In these exams, your healthcare provider can feel abnormalities and recommend additional testing like transvaginal ultrasound or blood tests for tumor markers when appropriate. This routine care provides opportunities for early detection before symptoms develop.
At Houston Cancer Institute, we offer comprehensive care for ovarian cancer at all stages. Treatment options depend on the type and stage of your cancer, your overall health, and your individual circumstances, and we customize your treatment plan based on your needs.
Surgery is often the first line of treatment, and it can cure early-stage ovarian cancer that’s confined to one or both of your ovaries. Advanced cases may require more extensive procedures that remove more affected tissues.
Chemotherapy uses powerful medications to kill cancer cells throughout your body. We administer chemotherapy after surgery to eliminate remaining cancer cells or before surgery to shrink tumors and make them easier to remove.
Immunotherapy is a newer approach that harnesses your immune system to fight cancer. These treatments help your body recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively, offering hope particularly for cancers that haven't responded to traditional treatments.
To schedule a cancer consultation or learn more about your treatment options, contact us online or call us at 713-464-9559 today.
